1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a toothbrush and, more specifically, to a toothbrush integral with a safe water supply.
2. Description of the Related Art
Oral hygiene is an important aspect of an individual""s health. However, there are times when oral hygiene, and in particular tooth brushing, is compromised due to the unavailability of a water supply. For example, when traveling in certain areas of the world, the quality of the water supply may be in question, and bottled water is recommended for drinking and other such purposes. It is difficult to manage a toothbrush in one hand and coordinate a stream of water from bottled water in the other. In a health care environment, such as a hospital or nursing home, a fresh water supply may not be readily available or the individual is bedridden, thus making it difficult for the individual to maintain good oral hygiene by brushing their teeth.
Various types of portable or travel toothbrushes are disclosed in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,192 to Kilfoil discloses a toothbrush with an internal water delivery system that receives its water supply from a shower. In this example, the toothbrush is connected to a hose that is operatively connected to a shower head. A disadvantage of this toothbrush is that it relies on the local water system, which may not be safe, or available. Also, the use of the connecting hose restricts use of this toothbrush to the shower.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,378 to Llerena discloses a travel toothbrush that has a hollow handle for storing an antiseptic mouthwash. The mouthwash is accessible by removing a plug disposed within an aperture in the handle. A disadvantage of this toothbrush is that the fluid in the handle is only accessible through an aperture in the handle, and the fluid is not intended for tooth brushing purposes.
In still another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,466 to Johnson et al. discloses a toothbrush with a refillable toothpaste chamber. The toothbrush includes a chamber holding toothpaste. The chamber is pressurized to activate the flow of toothpaste through the handle and out of the toothbrush. While this toothbrush works well in providing a supply of toothpaste, it does not solve the problem of the availability of water to rinse one""s mouth out with when done brushing, which is an important step in the tooth brushing process.
The available of water, and in particular safe drinking water, is an important step in the tooth brushing process. Thus, there is need in the art for a toothbrush adapted to fit a bottle containing water from a known water supply, to assist in maintaining good oral hygiene.
Accordingly, the present invention is a safe water toothbrush assembly that includes a toothbrush connected to a bottle for brushing teeth. The toothbrush has an elongated body with a head at one end and an opening at another end, such that the interior of the body forms a passageway for transporting a fluid through the body, the head includes at least one aperture and the open end of the body is threaded. The toothbrush also includes a plurality of bristles extending radially from the head. The bottle is filled with a fluid, such as water, and an open end of the bottle includes threads complementary to the threads on the open end of the toothbrush, for securing the bottle to the toothbrush.
One advantage of the present invention is that a safe water toothbrush assembly is provided that promotes oral hygiene, even if a supply of drinking water is not available. Another advantage of the present invention is that the safe water toothbrush allows an individual to use a known water supply in brushing their teeth. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the safe toothbrush provides a supply of water for use in brushing an individual""s teeth, when the individual doesn""t have access to other supplies of water. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the safe water toothbrush is adaptable to fit onto commercially available water bottles. A further advantage of the present invention is that the safe water toothbrush provides for storage of toothpaste when not in use. Still a further advantage of the present invention is that the safe water toothbrush includes an end cap that also serves as a water-pic device. Yet a further advantage of the present invention is that the safe water toothbrush can be used in brushing the teeth of an animal, such as a dog.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description taken in conjun with the accompanying drawings.